The design and architecture of RF apparatus, such as RF receivers and transceivers, has been towards increasing integration. Increasing integration tends to increase reliability, decrease footprint and cost, and provide more system-level versatility and flexibility.
The increasing integration, however, has also tended to make more challenging some aspects of RF apparatus design. For example, integrating more functionality into a single device entails coping with noise and interference problems. The noise and interference problems, if left untreated, may result in non-functioning or poorly functioning products that fail to meet their respective specifications. A need has therefore arisen for managing and mitigating noise and interference problems in integrated RF apparatus.